Ditto! I have 4 segments I need to take on ET in late December / early January - and the ability to get award flights would be excellent.

I spoke to ET in DC yesterday, and the person I spoke to would not give me a date, so I asked her to narrow it down. I asked if we were talking Days, Weeks, or Months and she said Days, maybe Weeks. I know it is not a clear answer, but that would suggest that it MIGHT be able to use miles before launch date.

Any updates?

Just off the phone with UA and ET. UA still have no knowledge of anything, and ET are saying end of December. Wierd.

Just realised that ET have axed their plans for the Seychelles flights so that pretty much rules out all I wanted from ET anyway

I'm sure a lot of other people will benefit from their being in the allowance however.

I just noticed in the December United/Continental Hemispheres magazine that it is showing ET as a Star Alliance member.

Called ET today, and they said they no nothing about Dec 13 being the date. I find THAT impossible to believe and am awaiting a call from a manager in DC.

UPDATE: They will not admit a date, but they have confirmed that they are training staff in DC at present.

I spoke with a director at MP yesterday and according to her, they have heard nothing from HQ about ET joining the program. She said that if Dec 13 was the date, they would typically have heard by now.

She additionally mentioned that UA were talking with ET about *A but ET pulled back after the UA/CO merger.

She also explained that the reason for the lack of announcement may be that there are still on going negotiations between the FF programs, and highlighted the LH decision to change their miles earned per segment rules as soon as UA/CO merger was announced, and things that ET might also be trying to figure out what fares will accrue miles and what will not. She said that in the past, airlines have joined *A but not integrated the FF programs until a later date, but if that was the case, then typically all backdated travel from the offical join date will be added to your account, but only if you talk to Customer Service and on a goodwill basis.

After my conversations with her, I am very confused. ET is certainly looking like they are about to join, but why the silence from UA? I have not flown UA yet this month. If ANYONE can get a scan or picture of the *A page in Hemisphere, that would be interesting. Or a photo of ET metal with *A logo?

Just seen this:

http://www.flyethiopian.com/en/news/...eases.aspx?hl= 288

So December 11 is now the date?

No, that release says that the 11th is the eve of joining *A, meaning that it will join on the 12th.

Joined on 12th.